The Link Between Us
by PromistDream
Summary: Not all plans are set in stone. Most are subject to change and unless the planners adapt, all will be lost. When Minato summons the Shinigami to seal the Kyuubi into Naruto, his plan goes to Hell. Yaoi KakaNaru Very mature themes - Collab with PALC
1. Chapter 1

A collaboration piece with the wonderful and amazing PALC!

**Warning**: This story is **yaoi!** If you don't like yaoi quit reading and leave now!

For those of you who do like yaoi, enjoy the story!

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The Link Between Us

Chapter 01

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Minato held his newborn son closer as he gazed at Kushina.

"Tonight I've confirmed two things. The first is that masked man, the one who attacked you… He will be the harbinger of a great disaster. The second," Minato paused and turned his gaze to his son, smiling gently, "is that Naruto will be the one to stop him. The jinchuuriki who will blaze the trail to our future. I just… know it."

Kushina's eyes widened in silent shock as Minato placed their son carefully on the ground between them.

Tears filled her eyes, "But… Minato."

Minato swept to his feet and began forming the hand seals for the Eight Trigrams Seal. _He won't have a mother, he won't have father but… Naruto will be strong._

He gave Kushina a broken smile, "Have a little faith! He is our son after all!"

A sudden dark and chilling laugh filled the area. The air dropped to a unsettling temperature and the Kyuubi stilled underneath the binding chains. A breath of cold air, rancid with the smell of rotting flesh, fanned across the back of Minato's neck, causing the fine hairs to rise.

"Namikaze Minato," an icy voice rasped behind him in a harsh whisper, freezing Minato where he stood. "You are a foolish human. I will grant you your request, but there will be a price, your debt will be paid."

Minato was finally shaken from his stupor when the Kyuubi let out a ferocious roar. He scooped Naruto up swiftly and turned on his heel to stare up into the chilling dead eyes of the Shinigami.

Unseen weights suddenly settled onto Minato, forcing him still. Panicked, Minato tried in vain to move his arms to no avail. He was held immobile by the unknown force.

The Shinigami then broke eye contact and looked to the right of Minato, toward where Kushina lay vulnerable. Dread pitted in his stomach as the Shinigami lifted his arm and stretched it out toward Kushina. _What is he…?_ From the edges of his vision he could see red chakra being directed toward Kushina.

Realization dawned on Minato as the Kyuubi released another agonized roar, causing his son to cry in his arms. He could hear Kushina's heaving breathe increase to a dangerous level. He fought viciously against the unseen force, but it was in vain. The malicious chakra continued to flow at the edge of his vision.

After several terrible moments, the Shinigami finished sealing half of the Kyuubi's chakra into Kushina. The God of Death lowered his arm and turned his dead eyes on Minato. The eyes were a cold, dead black that bored into him, causing his blood to run cold.

Kushina's loud breathing quieted until it became inaudible, making Minato's heart lurch painfully in his chest. _Is she all right? Is she…? No! _Denial coursed through Minato's being. _She is strong! She is alive. She has to be… This is all wrong. This is not how it was supposed to go! _He had to get Naruto and Kushina away; he had to protect them. _Move!_ But it was in vain. His limbs would not obey him.

Minato watched in agony as the Shinigami shifted his icy gaze to Naruto. _No!_ The Shinigami raised his arm toward Naruto and another screeching roar rang from the Kyuubi. Red chakra flowed around Minato's body, burning his exposed skin, and forced itself into Naruto's frail body at an alarming rate. His son suddenly jumped his arms and began to wail shrilly and writhe in distress. He felt Naruto twist harshly, his small body edging out of his grip. Naruto began to teeter dangerously at the edges of his fingers; any second and Naruto would fall.

_Move damn it!_ Though no matter how hard he tried, he could not get his unresponsive limbs to budge. His son would fall the dangerous distance to the ground and there was nothing he could do!

Then his arms began to shift against his will. Slowly, the grip he had on his writhing son tightened and Naruto was adjusted to a safer position, one that, no matter how much he moved, Naruto would not escape from.

Finally, the red chakra ceased to flow and Minato felt his son fall quiet still in his arms. Panic laced through Minato as he desperately tried to feel for some sign of life from his son. _There! _Relief flooded Minato as he felt a weak 'thump' vibrate beneath his fingers; his son's heart was still beating.

"Namikaze Minato."

Minato quickly refocused his gaze on the terrible being hovering before him, the frosty dead eyes drilling into him once again.

"You have taken the lives of 1932 humans. It was not yet their time to rest and yet you decided for them. 1932 lives… You should owe your life for taking them, however, your soul is tainted with the blood of those you have kill. It is not enough. Your son however…" Terror filled Minato as the Shinigami slid his eyes back to Naruto.

_No…_

The Shinigami swept closer toward the father and son. "You son," the Shinigami continued, "will be enough. He will take you place. His soul for the lives you took."

_NO!_ Minato struggled ruthlessly against the unseen weights. He tried to call out, to scream _No!_ at the being floating closer and closer but he could not. _Not Naruto! Not my son! Please no! _

His vision blurred momentarily as water slid easily down cheeks. He pulled and yanked relentlessly at the immobilizing restraints as the Shinigami reached out his arm toward Naruto and the sickly gray hand disappeared from Minato's vision. His head was forced to remain staring straight ahead and he could not see what the Shinigami was doing to his son. He fought with all his will to _MOVE!_ against the concealed fetters. Pushing, pulling, screaming his head at his unresponsive body, to get Naruto away from the monster he summoned.

The Shinigami shifted his eyes back to Minato's and seemed to understand his distress. "It was not your decision," he said, "to decide who lives and who dies. I understand that you humans are fickle, but taking so many of your kinsman… And to doom your son to a life of hatred… Your kinsmen have proclaimed you a great war hero but all I see is a black soul, tainted with blood."

Against his will, Minato's grip slowly loosened around his son. He felt cold hands – the hands of death – grasp the small body resting in his arms. _NO!_

When the warmth of his son's body had completely disappeared, the Shinigami floated back, Naruto nestled in Death's arms.

"I have decided," the Shinigami spoke as he ran a single finger across Naruto's face, "that your son will not suffer the fate you planned for him." Naruto opened sleepy eyes and cooed softly at the touch. "Instead, his soul will be the payment for the 1932 lives that you ended."

Lifting his head higher, the Shinigami gave Minato his ultimatum, "Your punishment, Namikaze Minato, is to live. You will never rest; not until your body is weak and crippled with age; not until your mind has been destroyed by guilt. No wound or illness will ever grant you rest and until your debt is repaid, you will live haunted by the lives of those you ended."

The Shinigami raised his hand toward Minato. A rumbling sounded from the ground below Minato and suddenly hideous black chains dripping red shot out, aiming straight for Naruto.

As soon as the chains touched him, Naruto released a piercing screech and thrashed in the hold of the Death God. _NARUTO!_ The terrible chains wrapped around Naruto small body, engulfing him and muffling his cries.

"Your sins have been given to your son. These chains are your sin; one link for every life you ended."

Minato did not hear the terrifying words and instead wrenched futilely at the invisible restraints. _MOVE DAMN IT! MOVE!_

Sluggishly, the chains released their hold and fell away from Naruto. Horrified, Minato saw that the dripping chains had painted his son red. Naruto's shrill wail continued and he flailed hopelessly against four deathly black shackles that were clamped harshly across his small wrists and ankles. The chains sank into the ground directly beneath Naruto. Even when the chains grew taunt against the shackles, it continued down.

Minato watched helplessly with wretched horror as the shackles seemed to move through Naruto's small limbs until they too disappeared beneath the earth. Naruto's cries cut off as suddenly as they began and his son grew deathly still. His son's wide, lifeless blue eyes stared back unseeingly at Minato.

The Shinigami gave a cruel grin before fading out of existence, leaving Naruto's frail body to fall to the distant earth below with a sickening crack.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yo! I'm finally back! For those of you who don't read my other story, _Peregrination_, know this: My computer crashed several weeks ago and I lost EVERYTHING! I was very distraught. On top of my computer crashing, I had two family members die so my life hasn't been too fun lately. That and school really sucks sometimes. But it is getting better! Fall break is fast approaching so I will have ample time to write. Regardless of what happens in my life, I will be back eventually because I love writing fanfiction too much. My plan for updating can be found on my profile.

This is a collaboration piece with the wonderful and amazing PALC! Go read some of her stories; they're great!

**Warning**: This story is **yaoi!** If you don't like yaoi quit reading and leave now! For those of you who do like yaoi, enjoy the story!

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The Link Between Us

Chapter 02

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Minato sat deathly silent in his office, staring blankly at the knots twisting within the wood surface of his desk. His eyes were dull and lifeless; dark rings circled beneath them, emphasizing his lack of sleep since–

He did not know how much time had passed since –

But since it was still dark outside, he could guess that it had only been a few minutes _(hours)_.

Someone had found him _(Sandaime-sama) _clutching the broken body of his dead son. They had placed him here for the time being. To do what, he did not know.

He closed his eyes only to reopen them instantly. Every time he closed his eyes, soulless baby blue eyes stared back at him. He wanted to yell, to scream at the injustice of the Shinigami's decision but what good would it do?

_They're gone…It's my fault… They're gone…It's my fault…_

The words rang in his ears, loud and clear, forever repeating like a broken record. The accusations were heavy, making him weary and slow. He let his head fall forward and caught it in his hands with his elbows braced against the unforgiving wood.

He felt that he should be crying, mourning the loss of his wife and son, but no tears came. Distantly, the logical part of his mind pointed out that he was in shock but the thought was soon lost. He did not care. He was numb to the world; lost within a black void from which he could not be saved.

Images flashed within his mind, blurring out reality and replacing it with delusions that would never be.

He saw himself entering the apartment he shared _(no longer)_ with Kushina. He saw her twirling around the kitchen _(lying lifeless on the floor)_ holding a laughing _(motionless)_ baby boy with bright _(dead)_ blue eyes. He laughed _(cried)_ at the sight. He ran to her, laughing _(crying)_ and wrapped her and his son within his arms. He held them tight _(and was soaked through with their blood)._

A sudden weight pressed down on his shoulder and his body reacted, leaving his mind lost within the delusion. When his mind finally caught up with his body, he dully noted that he had a large, white-haired man pinned beneath him with a three-pronged kunai pointed dangerously at the man's jugular.

_Jiraiya-sensei,_ the logical part of his mind provided. _Ally._

As if he were in a dream, he felt himself move slowly back, pocketing the kunai and releasing the death hold he had on his sensei. He saw his mentor's lips moving, forming quick words. They slipped through the air, distant and muddled as if he were being held underwater.

Just as before, hallucinations of a beautiful red-haired woman and a bouncy blue-eyed son took him. He lost his fragile hold on reality and drowned...

Much too soon, it ended. Reality struck him hard when he felt his body twist suddenly. An aging man stood within the doorway of his office.

_Sandaime-sama. Ally. _

Judging from his position, the Sandaime had caught a flying kunai aimed for his heart.

Belatedly, Minato noticed that his own arm was out-stretched. He had thrown the kunai at the Sandaime. However, he could not bring himself to care; un-feeling had consumed him completely.

He stared blankly at the Sandaime, who was staring back at him, a hard and calculating look within his deep brown eyes. Just like with his mentor, he saw the lips of the Sandaime move but heard no words, just a murmur of indistinguishable sounds.

He watched with dull eyes as his sensei moved into his field of vision. The elder shinobi conversed with one another, failing to hide the hawk-like gaze they kept upon him. The two seemed to come to a conclusion and turned to face their bodies towards him.

His body tensed. It was irrational, he knew, because these two were his allies and yet… They were watching him closely, unsuccessfully trying to hide the tension within their coiled muscles.

And then his sensei stepped forward slowly, his large arm slightly out-stretched. Minato wondered at why his sensei was moving so carefully. He would not run; there was no place to run to. No wife, no son waiting for him in a warm home…

He closed his eyes against the visions that threatened what little sanity he still had. Within the blackness, two sets of damned eyes stared back at him, one a beautiful violet and the other sky-blue. The eyes were angry and accusing.

When he opened his eyes to escape the image, he found that the elder shinobi were father away than before and yet they still stood within the same spot. It was an impossible truth, to be farther away and yet not to have moved at all. Then, his thoughts foggy as mud, he noted that he was the one who had moved. His back was pressed against a bumpy wall – no, one of the bookshelves lining the perimeter of the Hokage Office.

He felt the floor move unsteadily beneath him. He blinked and, somehow, he was sitting on the unsteady floor. While a part of him was still trying to fathom how he went from standing to sitting in so little time another part of him was wondering at why his vision had suddenly become so blurry. Wet drops brushed against his cheeks. He lifted his hand and caught the falling water.

_I'm finally crying…_

He sat there, ignorant of the other two shinobi watching him with sad eyes, and stared unseeingly at the teardrops covering his fingers. Once again, the world tilted dangerously and he was swallowed whole by the unforgiving black void.

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A small, naked child, only a few hours old, sat invisible upon bloody red chains. He looked around the room he was in, but nothing held his interest for long, except for the half-visible blond-haired man sitting behind a large oak desk.

The baby watched with wide blue eyes as a towering man with white hair entered through a window. The baby suddenly cried out in excitement as the blond-haired man pinned the white-haired man to the floor. He could now see most of the blond-haired man. He waved his arms sporadically, large shackles doing little to impair his movement, as he tried to gain the attention of the blond-haired man.

When the blond-haired man continued to ignore him, the baby stopped moving and began a slow pitiful hiccup that soon became a loud wailing sob.

The baby quieted when a door near him opened. He squealed in happiness when the blond man moved suddenly again. He wriggled upon the hard chains pushing at him from beneath and let loose another wailing sob that again went unnoticed.

A ferocious bellow from within his mind shook him to a brief silence and then he was again sobbing at the startling roar that came from the vicious beast trapped within his naval.

The blond-haired and blue-eyed baby continued to scream and wail upon the floor. When he finally noticed that the blond man was gone, his wails increased ten-fold.

He was invisible to the world of the living and rejected by the world of the dead. Nobody would answer his cries of distress.

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A/N: Well I hope this made sense. Yes, Naruto lives… Sort of… His body is dead but his spirit is very much alive and chained to Konoha. I'll explain more in the next chapter so things should get a lot clearer very soon. If you have any questions, ask away. Future chapters should also be getting longer. Expect the next chapter in about a week or two.

This fic was inspired by another fic I read some years ago. I can't remember the name of it but Naruto was a spirit (sort-of) that was attached to Konoha via chains. He had interesting powers and used those powers to protect Konoha during the Sound-Sand Invasion. If anyone knows the name of this fic and the author, please review or PM me. I'd really like to give credit where it's due. Thanks!

R&R


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